fearmongering

American  

[feer-mahng-ger-ing] / ˈfɪərˌmɑŋ gər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice or strategy of trying to make people fearful or anxious as a means of manipulating them.

---

adjective

1. trying to make people fearful or anxious as a means of manipulating them.

Example Sentences

Worse than the off-label prescribing is the fearmongering.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

Private-fund managers, including Blackstone, Apollo Global Management and Blue Owl, have blamed fearmongering about a recent spate of corporate bankruptcies, like that of automotive supplier First Brands, for the surge of withdrawals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Monique Botha, a professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, said the "fearmongering" could stop women from seeking appropriate care during their pregnancy.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2025

There’s always money in the banana stand of fearmongering 30-second TV ads about the subway—or so Mario Jr. thought.

From Slate • Jun. 28, 2025

No one is more susceptible to an expert’s fearmongering than a parent.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt